Love In Denial
by colombiansoccerchick
Summary: -oneshot-He didn't love her. She was Tachibana's annoying kid sister. She didn't love him. He put her brother in the hospital. Yet both of them couldn't ignore that there was definatly something there...AkayaxAn


**A/N: Hello there. This is my first PoT fic, though it's my third fic overall. Not that it matters…**

**This was partly inspired by mama irene's fic "You Belong to Me" because she says that she's trying to spread the AkayaxAn love. So I thought I would join the campaign. At least, this is my measly attempt.**

**Well, enough babbling. Let's just start this story.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis. Though I'm sure that did not shock you.**

**Edit: **Kay, an anoymous reveiwer made a very good point about my story and so I decided to take her/his advice. And so I changed the last part. Well, deleted it...

* * *

He didn't love her.

He was Akaya Kirihara, the ace of Rikkai.

Who, before his recent change, had a violent style of tennis.

She was An Tachibana.

He put her brother in the hospital, and caused him to miss the training camp.

She hated him and told him so.

He told himself that he didn't care, that lots of people hated him. This was nothing new. There were lots of people that called him a devil.

They were from teams which he had previously beaten.

So what if some kid sister of a player hated him? That was no concern of his.

Yet, when she confronted him at the training camp, something snapped.

People had doubted his reformation before. But it didn't hurt as much as it had when An doubted him.

She had told him that if he injured anybody at the camp, she would never forgive him.

That had both hurt and angered him.

He had snapped, yelling at her, saying that he wasn't the same.

He caught himself though, after seeing her shocked expression.

He recovered soon enough, the cocky attitude back in place.

Then he brought up her brother.

She reacted, just as he thought she would, and he could sense her anger.

Then he hit the final blow.

He insulted him, calling him a weak player.

He didn't mean it, but he didn't like the fact that she had managed to break past that façade of his.

And the fact that An Tachibana of all people was able to do it bothered him.

He had walked away, but it wasn't long before he heard her run after him.

He was able to dodge her slap successfully…not so the staircase…

But for some reason, when they asked him what had happened, instead of telling the truth, he had taken the blame, saying that he tripped and fell down by his own accord.

He didn't know why he did it, it just seemed right.

So they blamed Kamio instead.

Whatever…he didn't like that jerk anyways…But for some reason, he found himself protecting An…

They eventually found out, despite his efforts, during his match with Ryoma.

She had apologized to him afterwards, tears welling up in her eyes.

He had told himself that the reason his heart skipped a beat was simply because he was tired after his game with Ryoma.

That was all

Nothing more

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She didn't love him.

She was An Tachibana, the younger sister of Kippei.

She respected her brother very much.

Her brother was her hero.

He was Akaya Kirihara.

The monster who purposely injured her brother, causing him to end up in the hospital.

Then stopped by the room in which her brother was staying and told him that he didn't regret it.

He was the devil.

The following year, when she was in ninth grade, she heard news that Akaya had become captain, after Yukimura had graduated.

It was SHOCK, merely SHOCK, not awe that she felt.

She had scoffed and walked away from the teller of the news.

Yet, when she saw him playing in the Kantou tournaments against Fudomine, she found herself watching him more than his opponent, Kamio.

It was simply because she was keeping an eye on him; to make sure that he didn't hurt anyone else.

And when he won the match without using any violence, it was simply relief that she felt.

It was not admiration.

After all, he just beat Kamio, Fudomine's captain. She should be sad.

She defiantly should not be feeling awe at the fact that Akaya had gotten so much more skilled since last year…

It was simply shock. That's all.

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He didn't love her

She didn't love him.

Yet, there was defiantly something there…

Something that neither of them could ignore….

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So when Akaya and An crossed paths walking home from school, the reason that both of them stood there staring at each other was simply shock.

It was not because they were actually happy to see each other.

However, why was Akaya in Tokyo to begin with?

He must have fallen asleep on the bus again…

**o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.oo.o.o.o.oo.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o**

Shock.

That was it. What else would he be feeling?

Not…happiness?

No.

Not towards An Tachibana.

Yet, for some reason, he found himself talking to her.

And to his surprise (yes it was simply surprise, NOT pleasure), she talked back.

They talked about tennis, about him being captain, about how she was doing with her tennis team, and some other random things.

It was a pleasant chat.

For some reason, he found himself offering to walk her home.

It had just slipped out. He didn't know why.

Yet he found himself holding his breath for her answer.

**o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.**

When he offered to walk her home, it surprised her.

A pleasant surprise.

She didn't know why, but she agreed.

**o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.**

When she said yes, a new feeling arose in him.

Happiness?

Nah, why would he feel happy just because he's going to walk Tachibana's sister home?

The thought was just absurd.

After all, he was just doing his duty as a law abiding citizen. He had to make sure she arrived home safely.

Yet, as they talked and laughed as they walked together, he couldn't deny the new feeling arising in him.

Could this be…?!

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She didn't know why, but as they walked together, she felt happy.

And that made her incredibly confused.

Didn't she hate him?

Now she wasn't too sure.

And for some strange reason, she felt a pang of disappointment when her house came into view.

It was going to end…

Of course it was going to end, and she didn't know why she didn't want it to.

She thanked him and was about to go inside when,

"Do you think that, maybe, I could, uh, see you, again?"

**o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.**

He didn't know why he asked that. It just, once again, came out.

It was probably because, for some strange reason, he didn't wasn't her to disappear into her house.

He didn't wasn't this to be their last meeting.

And when she turned back toward him with a smile and a slight blush and said, "Yes…I would like that," he felt so incredibly happy that he leaned down and kissed her.

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He didn't love her

She didn't love him.

But maybe, just maybe, those feelings are starting to change…

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**A/N:** Kay, after I took that person's advice, I kinda like a bit better. At least, it's not as sappy anymore...I think...

Thank You, anoymous reviewer!

This is my first time writing romance, so that's why it's so bad…T.T It was supposed to be a like a denial thing, but…

And I wonder what POV this would be. It's not first, second, or third…at least I don't think so…I hope it wasn't annoying n.n…

Well, reviews are loved. But please, constructive criticism would be helpful! I would like to improve!! So please, give me your honest opinion.

Ciao!


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